Combined shutter-worker and sash-fastener



(MOGBL N. BOWEN & M. D. MILLER.- COMBINED SHUTTER WORKER ANDSASH FASTENER.

, j Patented Aug. 2,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELsoN EowEN AND MARTIN D. MILLER, OF OSWEGO, ASSIGNORS TO F. B. DUFFEY, 0F LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

COMBINED SHUTTER-WORKER AND SASH-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part-of Letters'Patent No. 245,019, dated August 2, 1881.

' Applicatlon filed November 22, 1880. (ModeL) In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a face view of a window provided with our improved device, a portion being shown in section Fig. 2, a horizontal section on the line or a; of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, avertical section on the line 3 y of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a perspective view of the blind operating and locking devices detached.

The deviceis more particularly intended for use in connection with sash which are caused to move simultaneously in opposite directions by means of an interposed pinion meshing with a toothed rack on each sash.

Theblind-operator consists of a sliding rackbar moved backand forth by the rotation of a pinion meshing with it, said rack-bar engaging ,with a segmental rack secured to'the blind,

while the blind lock or fastener consists simply of a spring-plate having a projecting arm to engage with the teeth of the sliding rack. The sash-lock is merely a pivoted. spring-latch arranged to engage with the teethof the sashpinion and prevent its rotation. The operating device which controls theseseveral parts is a rod or stem having a squared portion to enter.

and rotate the blind-operating pinion, a reduced point to project through said pinion and disengage the locking-plate from the rack, and a rib or feather to bear upon the spring-latch, which looks the sash-pinion and disengages it therefrom.

In the drawings, A represents the windowframe, to the opposite sides of which are hinged the blinds B, as usual. Secured to the corner -0f each blind, concentrically with the hinges,

is asegmental rack, G, the teeth of which engage with those of a sliding rack-bar, D,

mounted in a metal box or guide, a, in the window-frame, and moved back and forth by the rotation of a pinion, E, engaging with a second set of teeth formed upon the upper face of the rack-bar, as shown, the pinion E being v journaled in the block or box a, as shown.

. For the purpose of rotating the pinion E, I provide a rod or stem, 15, having a squared portion, b,.to enter a square eye in the pinion, as shown in Figs. 1,2, and 4, the opposite end of said rod being carried through the windowframe into the room and furnished with a knob and serving as a knob for the curtain-cord. By simply passing the squared portion of the rod or stem into the eye of the pinion E and rotating the rod the blind may be adjusted to any position from full open to full closed.

In order to secure the blind at any desired position, a spring-plate, G, is secured to the face of the block at, having a tooth, c, to engage with the teeth of the sliding rack D, as shown, said plate being pressed outward and disengaged from the rack-bar by the end of the rod F as the latter is pushed inward to cause the engagement of its square neck b with the pinion E, as shown in Fig. 4, so that as the rod is brought to an operative position the rack is simultaneously released. As soon as the pressure is removed from the rod the springplate Gr forces the same back, disengaging it from the pinion E and permitting the tooth c to en gage. with and lock the rack D. Thus it will be seen that; in order to operate the blind and lock it in any desired position it is only necessary to push in the rod F, rotate it until the blind assumes the proper position, and then release the rod, when the spring-plate G immediately locks the blind in place.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, H represents a pinion interposed between the upper and lower sash, and meshing with" a rack, 01, on each, whereby the movement of either sash causes a simultaneous movement of the other sash in the opposite direction, the pinion being jour naled in suitable bearings secured to the frame, as shown.

For the purpose of locking the sash in any position desired a spring-latch is arranged in such position that its end when not held back shall enter between the teeth of the pinion H, and prevent its rotation. The latch I passes directly below the rod or stem F at right angles thereto, as shown in Fig. 3; and in order to depress the latch and disengage its end from the pinion II the rod or stem is furnished with a rib or feather, c, which, by the rotation of the rod, is caused to bear down upon the latch, as shown. This action can only take place, however, when the rod is thrown out of its position for operating the pinion E, the feather at other'times being carried beyond the latch, as shown in Fig. 4, thus preventing the operation of one device from interfering with that of the other.

Under the above construction it will be seen the locking and unlocking of the sash and of the blinds and the operation of the latter are all controlled and performed by a single rod or stem.

The feather c is so located upon the rod or stem F that it is necessary to draw the rod out beyond the point to which it is pressed by the spring-plate G; hence, when in its normal position, the rod can have no effect upon any of the devices above described.

The racks D are so limited in their movement that they cannot throw the blinds back close against the wall, but only to a position parallel with, but slightly away from, the wall, in order that in winter weather snow or sleet may not cause them to be frozen back against the wall.

It is, of course, only necessary to employ the sash-locking device at one side of the window, though two of the blind operators and fasteners are employed.

The latch-bar I may be arranged above the pinion H, and caused to engage therewith by gravity, instead of employing a spring for that purpose, as above described.

It is obvious that the sash-lock may be used independently of the blind operator and lock, and vice versa.

It is to be noted that under the construction shown the rack moves in a plane parallel with the face of the building, and consequently is not protruded outward beyond the same, in which event it would be liable to be broken, and would, moreover, present an unsightly appearance.

We are aware that a blind or shutter having a segmental rack applied to it has been operated by a rack moving in and out through the window-frame; and also that a longitudinallyadjustable stem or spindle having an enlarged portion has been employed to operate alternately or independently a shutter-worker and a sash-lock, and to these features we make no broad claim, either separately or together.

\Ve are aware that a sliding rack-bar has been arranged to operate two blinds simultaneously to or from each other, the rack-bar passing on the inside of the pinion or segmental rack of one blind, and on the outside of that ofthe other, the barbeing arranged to move in line with the face of the building. Such construction is, however, objectionable, in that a considerable portion of the raclobar is necessarily exposed, and in that neither blind can be operated independently of the other. By our construction these objections are entirely overcome.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. In a blind-operator and blind and sash fastener, the combination of the pinions E H, racks O D, locking-plates G I, and rod F, adapted and arranged to operate as described.

2. In combination with a blind-operator, consisting of the racks O I), pinion E, and rod F, a spring-locking plate, Gr, controlled by the rod F, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the sash-pinion H, the locking-bar I and feathered rod F, arranged to operate as described.

NELSON BOWEN. MARTIN D. MILLER.

\Vitnesses:

U. A. WILKIN, I. J. RooHUssEN. 

